August 2026
Stronger across the Tasman
ACE New Zealand President Penny Kneebone (front left) and Consult Australia President Natalie Muir (front right) sign the new Alignment Agreement, joined by Consult Australia CEO Jonathan Cartledge (back left) and ACE New Zealand Chief Executive Helen Davidson.
New alignment agreement signed
Consult Australia and ACE New Zealand have formalised a closer trans-Tasman relationship, signing a new alignment agreement to strengthen collaboration on the issues shaping consulting, design and engineering businesses in both nations.
Consult Australia President Natalie Muir and ACE New Zealand President Penny Kneebone signed the Alignment Agreement this month.
The agreement reflects an increasingly connected industry, where consulting businesses in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand serve many of the same clients and face similar regulatory, economic and industry challenges.
Under the agreement, Consult Australia and ACE New Zealand will look for opportunities to collaborate on advocacy and thought leadership, particularly across workforce, digital transformation, sustainability and procurement reform.
The organisations will share data and insights, support professional exchanges and explore opportunities to improve member services and organisational capability.
The signing provided an immediate opportunity to put the agreement into practice, with representatives from large member firms coming to discuss the opportunities and obstacles facing businesses operating on both sides of the Tasman.
“Together, we are stronger advocates for a thriving, sustainable and connected consulting and engineering industry across Australasia,” Natalie Muir and Penny Kneebone said.
Putting a value on consulting
One opportunity for closer alignment is sharing the evidence that demonstrates the value consulting that firms create.
ACE New Zealand recently commissioned the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research to quantify this value. Unlocking the Value of Consulting finds every NZ$1 spent on an infrastructure consultant generates NZ$2.10 in value, equating to a NZ$3.3 billion annual net benefit – around A$2.7 billion – from infrastructure consulting.
The research puts hard numbers around a question that matters on both sides of the Tasman: what good consulting is worth.
Across the Tasman next
ACE New Zealand will take this conversation to Futurespace 2026, its conference for future firm leaders and industry influencers.
Held over two days from 4-5 November 2026 in Auckland, Futurespace will explore how consulting leaders can demonstrate value, build stronger client partnerships and deliver impact in a complex and changing market.
Consult Australia members are invited to join their New Zealand counterparts at Futurespace, with ACE New Zealand offering access to member pricing.
Find out more about Futurespace 2026.